In a review of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (the new U.S. version starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara), the US Weekly critic Mara Reinstein writes of Lisbeth Salander, “The brazenly bisexual, leather-clad, withdrawn title heroine…” Wait — brazenly what? What does it even mean to be brazenly bisexual? The phrase suggests that being bisexual is a sort of kink, something akin to playing with whips and chains or having sex in an adult diaper. A lifestyle choice, if you will. Or, perhaps…

Poorly thought-out article, with a contrived premise that smacks of “brazzen” sexual snobbery. Not every adjective and remark on a fictional character’s various distinguishing characteristics is a slur, or revelation of the authors underlying prejudice – especially in today’s pop-culture pantheon. Get real.